Teaching in a Workshop Rationale:The workshop approach provides teachers with time for direct or guided instruction; time for guided practice while the teacher assesses new learning/understanding; and a time for individual work on goals; time for class to wrap up and review the day’s learning. How it fits with best practice:Workshop teaching is supported by all the best practices research.The workshop provides time for whole group, small group, and individual group instruction.The teacher is in charge for a portion of the time, but most importantly students are taught responsibility and independence through the workshop process. Any content area can be a workshop. Remember mini skills lessons are from your curriculum map. Math:teacher does mini skills lesson (in primary a big book or shared book about math concepts can be used to introduce or close a lesson) Small group practice: students are given a task related to the mini skills lesson to practice while the teacher walks around and assesses understanding of the immediate lesson. After small group/individual group time, students work independently on math.If using Box It, Bag It, or Math their Way, or Investigations or Connected Math – the individual activities are used from these materials. Centers can also be used for individual time. While students work on individual math goals, teacher conferences or holds small groups for enrichment or remediation. Science:Just like math only with science topics and centers. Social Studies:Like math only can substitute Geography as a topic into centers or individual time.Think about how many students have no clue how to read maps, latitude/longitude, use a globe, etc. Research workshop:Close regular lessons down for a two week period.Mini lessons would focus on research skills like note-taking, paraphrasing, outlining, etc.Students would actually do their research during the “independent” time of the block.The teacher would conference with small groups or individuals about their research and any issues. At the end of the time period – students present their projects – ALL COMPLETED IN CLASS DURING RESEARCH WORKSHOP. Think about how you can turn your class into a workshop.What would the benefit be?What are the barriers?What topics would need to be covered during independent time?
Rationale:The workshop approach provides teachers with time for direct or guided instruction; time for guided practice while the teacher assesses new learning/understanding; and a time for individual work on goals; time for class to wrap up and review the day’s learning.
How it fits with best practice:Workshop teaching is supported by all the best practices research.The workshop provides time for whole group, small group, and individual group instruction.The teacher is in charge for a portion of the time, but most importantly students are taught responsibility and independence through the workshop process.
Any content area can be a workshop. Remember mini skills lessons are from your curriculum map.
Math:teacher does mini skills lesson (in primary a big book or shared book about math concepts can be used to introduce or close a lesson)
Small group practice: students are given a task related to the mini skills lesson to practice while the teacher walks around and assesses understanding of the immediate lesson.
After small group/individual group time, students work independently on math.If using Box It, Bag It, or Math their Way, or Investigations or Connected Math – the individual activities are used from these materials. Centers can also be used for individual time. While students work on individual math goals, teacher conferences or holds small groups for enrichment or remediation.
Science:Just like math only with science topics and centers.
Social Studies:Like math only can substitute Geography as a topic into centers or individual time.Think about how many students have no clue how to read maps, latitude/longitude, use a globe, etc.
Research workshop:Close regular lessons down for a two week period.Mini lessons would focus on research skills like note-taking, paraphrasing, outlining, etc.Students would actually do their research during the “independent” time of the block.The teacher would conference with small groups or individuals about their research and any issues.
At the end of the time period – students present their projects – ALL COMPLETED IN CLASS DURING RESEARCH WORKSHOP.
Think about how you can turn your class into a workshop.What would the benefit be?What are the barriers?What topics would need to be covered during independent time?